Jenna of That Wife wrote a post yesterday about photographing mothers and their babies, and at the end she encouraged her readers to share a favorite picture including mother and child. I liked the idea, so I thought I'd share mine.
This is me and my mama on a beach in Maui, and I just love everything about it. I think I was about three years old when this was taken. I love the way we're holding hands, I love the beach and ocean, and I love that we're standing together in one of our most favorite places in the world.
Hopefully someday I'll be able to share some of my own favorite places with my children, and rest assured that when I do, it will all be well photographed.
While I'm at it, why not? Here's another story one of my many distant cousins emailed my mom about two years ago.
My mom told our cousin that I was working on my maternal grandfather's family line, and I had just discovered my grandfather's parents' families came to the United States about 10 years apart from each other and settled in the same town. I was hoping to find out if they knew each other before they immigrated, but my cousin didn't know the answer to that. Instead she told this fun little story:
"I do know one story that I heard from Lewis Schreiber, (from Mart). The Marquarts did come before the Schreibers, don't know exactly when, but think the Schreibers came in 1884. The Marquarts lived in Post Oak, north of LaGrange and Grandpa Marquart built the little Methodist church there and they worshipped in German. The Schreibers left Germany because the boys were being drafted into the Prussian army and they didn't like that. One son had already served, don't know if he came to US or stayed there. GGpa Schreiber was an alcoholic, I hear. There must have been some sort of a connection between the Marquarts and Schreibers beceuse they settled in Post Oak also. Or could have been a coincidence. Two of the Schreiber boys, George and John slipped off and listened to the Methodist people under a window because they could understand the German. The church people noticed them and asked them in and ended up converting them. Thats how the Schreibers came to be Methodists. George and John both wanted to be preachers, but since John married first George became a preacher and John was a lay-minister. George preached many years and is pictured in the Methodist conference headquarters in Fort Worth as one of the many German preachers in the Methodist. When your Dad visited us after your Mom Died, we took him out to a little town of Bracken, north of San Antonio where George preached for quite a while. I thought this was an interesting story. Hope the kids enjoy hearing about it. Love, Sue"
I thought that was a cool story. I also think it's funny that my mom's parents moved from the Methodist church to the Baptist church in their later years because they "liked the choir better." At least that's what my mom says.
I am going to preface this post by saying that this may not be interesting to anyone other than me and members of my family...though I don't think any members of my family read this.
A few weeks ago when my parents came to visit, my mom brought along an old box she found of old family pictures, wedding and graduation announcements, and some letters my maternal great-grandfather had written to my grandmother. I scanned them and did my best to transcribe them {great-grandpa didn't have the most legible handwriting}, and now, for some reason, I feel like I should post them here.
Kerens Texas 1-1-1943
Miss Naomi Tyler
Dear Baby I got your letter containing three dollars of course was small of it not much for its value but because it was from you. Some one I love I think loves me. Have been sick with cold for ten days or more. Have a awful cough but am improving. Think will be all ok in a few more days. Had a right smart snow last Sunday night but melted away next day. Been trying to rain ever since. Give Johnie and Wasnetta my love and best wishes. I am hoping and praying that this will be a happy and prosperous year for us all and believe that will all our people are well doing family well. Ruby [his daughter] was sick last week but is by now. Dovie [his daughter-in-law] still works at the store. Poor old Lonnie [his son] is still a toogan(?) & has cooking cleaning house, & etc. May God’s silent blessings be graces for the family is the prayer of your Old Dad, N.S. Crawford
(over)
Come home when you can.
Waco Texas 2-1-1943
Miss Naomi Tyler
Dear baby, Have been examined. Will have my prostates removed tomorrow or next day. I am at the Hillcrest Memorial Sanatarium feeling ok. The operation will be simple and not serious so don’t worry about me. Will keep you advised for time to time about my condition. Be sweet and don’t worry.
Your loving Dad, N.S. Crawford
P.S. You can tell the others there.
Waco Texas 2-5-1943
Dear baby, just a few lines. I am doing fine. Think the Dr is going to let me sit up tomorrow. I feel like will go home by the middle of next week. One that loves you dearly, your old Dad.
Wrote this in bed.
I never met my great-grandfather {in fact, my mother didn't either. he died about six months before she was born}, so I am grateful for these letters. They give me a little insight into the kind of person my great-grandfather was. You can tell that he truly loved my grandmother, and it seems that he had faith in God.
The letters were also revealing in another way: he addressed Granny as Miss Naomi Tyler. My mom said she never knew her last name was Tyler once upon a time, meaning she must've had a third marriage she never told my mom about. Scandalous!
